Redeem
A/N: This is a Warriors AU about Mapleshade. It'll be worked on as a side story apart from Please be Careful, as that as my main project rn. The AU is that Darkstar accepts Mapleshade into RiverClan. Chapter One "Hello?" A dripping wet tortoiseshell she-cat stood in the camp, and she was carrying three kits. A black she-cat leaped down from her rock, with a horrified expression on her face. "What happened?" She realized these kits were dead. "Oh my - WHO IS THIS?" Appledusk, one of the toms of the Clan, snarled, "Oh, this is just Mapleshade. She was my former mate. I don't care about these kits." The last part seemed to be added towards Mapleshade. He took a step closer. "Nor do I care about yo-" Mapleshade looked shocked, and the black she-cat interrupted. "Appledusk! You mouse-brain! You can't abandon your mate - even if she was from another Clan, or a rogue!" Appledusk hissed, "You can't tell me what to do, Darkstar." Darkstar smiled in a malicious way. "But I can exile you, if you don't get yourself under control." He resigned, snorting. Darkstar padded up to Mapleshade. "Are you okay?" Mapleshade had tears ringing her eyes, and she looked like she had been crying her eyes out. No wonder, these kits were dead. "No," she whimpered. "What happened?" "I was exiled from my Clan for having kits with Appledusk... and... I came across the river to get here, and this happened." She put her kits down. Darkstar looked into her eyes. "Ok. My Clan and I shall hold a vigil for them tonight." Mapleshade looked slightly more happy at this fact. "Oh, thank you." Darkstar turned her head to Appledusk, and slowly padded towards him. She wanted to slaughter this tom, but she held herself back. "Appledusk, I will think about whether I will exile you or not," she snarled. Appledusk snarled, "Why would you exile me, one of the best warriors, for this worthless she-cat?" Darkstar was ready to claw his face off. "Because you're disobeying me, and you've killed three innocent kits. Maybe that will put you to humbleness." He snarled. "I'd be happy to leave you and your stupidity. It's horrible, knowing that we can trust a bird-brained leader that thinks she can exile me for this strange she-cat." "Exile." Despite his words, Appledusk looked like he wanted to eat them. He looked like he wanted to beg for mercy. He looked like he never believed Darkstar would exile him. "Goodbye," he finally snarled. Darkstar could hear the choking behind his farewell. "If I see you again on my territory, any of my patrols have the right to torture and kill you." Mapleshade stood awkwardly, and looked almost guilty. Appledusk hissed in her ear, loud enough for all to hear, "This is all your fault. I'll come back to kill you someday." Mapleshade's jaws twisted in a snarl. "Not under the watch of the whole Clan." Appledusk looked undignified as he ran off, tail between his legs. Darkstar watched with amusement as he stumbled and tumbled his way out of RiverClan camp. "So, Mapleshade, welcome." Chapter Two Silence pressed in on Mapleshade as she looked at her two dead kits. They were limp, useless, now. But, they were up in StarClan. The silence was heavy, heavier than she could bear. Mapleshade wanted to weep. But she couldn't. She had to show her new Clan she was worthy and strong. The sun was about to rise - than they could talk. ~~~~~ The sun was up, high in the sky. Warriors were going on patrol. Everything was lively. Back to a normal day. "Mapleshade?" Darkstar trotted up to the calico she-cat. "Yes, Darkstar?" Her voice was low, muttering. She was still sad, and her mind was almost bleak, save for the heavy sadness. "Are you ready to go on a patrol, or do you need some more alone time?" Mapleshade lowered her head, and despite her twisting feelings, she muttered, "I'll go." Darkstar nodded, brightening up. "That's a tough one." Mapleshade was sent on a patrol with Splashfoot, Rainfall, and Milkfur. "So... welcome to the Clan," meowed Milkfur. Splashfoot wasn't as welcoming. "How can you expect to wander in the camp like that, get Appledusk exiled, ''and get all the sympathy from Darkstar?" He was snarling, trying to sound intimidating, but he really didn't. Or maybe Mapleshade just didn't feel emotions anymore. "Well, I just needed a shelter," she pointed out. "And you took pleasure in Appledusk getting exiled. Plus, you broke the warrior code. You became his mate, for StarClan's sake." Mapleshade just padded forward, unscathed. Splashfoot was huffing, and Milkfur seemed to be snarling at him a bit. As they approached the border, the ThunderClan border, a patrol from the other side was chatting. "So, where do you think Mapleshade went?" She recognized the voice of Frecklewish. A fake friend. A betraying friend. A bad "friend". "Well, maybe she went to RiverClan, the liar. She had kits with a tom there." The voice of Deerdapple. The RiverClan patrol quickly approached the ThunderClan cats, hissing. Frecklewish spotted Mapleshade in the midst. "Why if it isn't my good old liar friend," she hissed. "I'm not your friend," Mapleshade replied. Frecklewish smirked. "Getting sassy with me, huh?" "I guess we are." Splashfoot was sent to go get back up, for harassing the Clan cats. Mapleshade looked Frecklewish dead in the eye. "I wish you were dead." Chapter Three "I think that's a little much," Frecklewish purred. Mapleshade tilted her head. "Hmmm... well, it sure does explain my feelings." Splashfoot, a surprising cat to be doing this, hissed, "If you stop harassing our warriors, we'll let you go freely. If you keep on, you will be taken to Darkstar." Frecklewish flicked her tail. "Try me." Mapleshade pushed her inside the circle of the patrol, along with Deerdapple. The rest of the patrol, who had done nothing wrong, watched with horror. RiverClan cats were escorting the rude mouse-brains in, surrounding them on all sides. No escape for them. They finally arrived at RiverClan. "Darkstar!" I let my voice ring out across the clearing, making heads peek out of their dens. Darkstar slipped out of her den, and made her way over to the patrol. "What do we have here?" "We have some rude mouse-hearts who harassed us on the border." Darkstar sniffed them. "ThunderClan. I have a bone to pick with you." Frecklewish looked nervous, and shrunk back. Darkstar continued, "You have exiled a she-cat who had dead kits for something not that important?" Guiltily, Deerdapple looked down. "That wasn't my decision." Frecklewish puffed out her chest. "Serves her right." Mapleshade wanted to leap on this traitorous monster. She could feel emotions - she had been wrong before. Was the only emotion she could feel anger? She shook her head, looking at the stupid she-cat. Frecklewish unsheathed her claws. "You didn't have to take her in, you know." "But I did, and don't question me," Darkstar snarled. Frecklewish sighed, rolling her eyes. "She betrayed her Clan, she betrayed ''me, ''and she will do the same to you. You've been warned, and you'll be sorry." Frecklewish tried to exit, but Darkstar held her back. "I haven't dismissed you." Frecklewish scoffed, "And you don't have to." With that, she tried to leave again. Mapleshade felt rage run through her, and pounced on Frecklewish. "How dare you defy Darkstar like that!?" Frecklewish looked up at Mapleshade. "Oh, so you're ''soooo loyal to your new leader. You weren't loyal to Oakstar. You can't redeem yourself." Darkstar slit her eyes, and locked them with Frecklewish's. "Oh, she already has." "But have you, Frecklewish?" Frecklewish put on a confused expression. "Cute. Acting confused. ThunderClan doesn't really need to have toxic cats like you running around their territory. What do you say? Do you want to go back and have your actions known, or become a loner forever?" Frecklewish squirmed. "I'll go back to ThunderClan." "And never talk to us again?" "Never." Mapleshade stepped off of Frecklewish. "Fine, then. Go with Deerdapple, run back with your tails between your legs." Chapter Four Category:Hollytuft Category:AUs Category:Au